Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-03
WHO KISSANE Is.
The Story of a Thief and
Murderer.
WHO BURNED A BIG STEAMBOAT
For the Insurance-His Detection
and Escape from Punishment
Told Graphically.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

JOTHtG DeWOkTdt lJernanl to-day says
We are informed that the much-spoken
of and much-wanted William Kissane il
the rich land owner. William K. Rogers,
Of Sonoma county, Cal.
CLEVELAND, o., April 2.-The Leader
will say tomorrow that the discovery Of
Kissane in California as rich, prosper
Gus and reputable citizen and his sup.
posed identification with noted forger
and criminal who was twice indicted in
New York for q forgery committed
upon the Chemical Bank and sent
to the penitentiary, has caused
a great public excitement in
Cleveland. This is the man who
is believed to have been one of the lead.
ers in the great Martha Washington
steamboat conspiracy at Cincinnati.
The tragedy was consu minated upon the
Mississippi river. The steamer was
burned with her cargo and several lives
were destroyed in 1851 At the
time the arrest and trial of the
criminals engaged in the plot pro.
dnced as much public excitement in
Ohio as was ever known to arise from q
criminal prosecution. The defendant
Klssane and Others were engaged as
wholesale boot aud shoe dealers at Gin.
cinnati. also buying and selling wool Al d
dealing in leather and other commodi.
ties. They purchased the steam
er Martha Washington, loaded her
apparently with costly freight, had
the cargo insured for a large sum, and
sent her down the Mississippi regularly,
consigned to their correspondents at
New Orleans. The Captain was one of
the conspirators, and had charge of the
whole plot and its execution. The cargo,
to be composed of boxes of
bouts and shoes, leather, wool and other
valuable merchandise was made up of
refuse material of no value ana the
boxes so cirefully fastened and marked
to their owners, were filled with wood,
stones and rubbish of every character.
At certain time when the passengers
and crew were quietly sleeping and at the
moment when the action could be most
safely committed, the Captain was
to fire to the vessel in such manner as
to insure her destruction, and the coh-
spifators We're to collect the insurance
upon the vessel and her valuable cargo
when totally lost. Apparently every.
thing succeeded as planned. The cargo
was publicly and carefully placed on
board, and no suspicion excited as to its
character and genuineness. The Cap
tain was well known and the
vessel sailed upon her voyage
with her cargo richly insured.
At certain time she took fire. The fire
spread with inconceivable rapidity. The
crew and officers took to the boats and
most of the lives were saved. Nobody
doubted that the accident was one of
those incidents inseparable from the
dangers of navigation and the Cap
tain and owners were sympathized
with as sufferers who had met an un-
merited misfortune. In due time the
schedules of losses were carefully pre-
pared. The proof of merchandise hav-
ing been destroyed was laid before the
underwriters and, so far as human fore
sight could discover. there was no OBJ
lection to the payment and the crime of
Kissane and his associates was
about to be satisfactorily con-
summated. At this time there
lived in Cleveland we'll known citizen
named Sidney Burton. He was Of an
excellent character, well liked by his
neighbors, of considerable influence aud
prominent business man. He had had
quite intimate dealings with Kssane
and his partners a! Cincinnati. and was
on terms of friendship with them.
The origin of his suspicion can't be
traced now, but on the trial he swore
that at ono time he overheard one
of the partners in the counting-room
cursing God Almighty because they
beard not ing of the fate of the steamer.
In any event these people owed Burton
money. 1t was not paid and Burton,
whose suspicious were keenly
aroused as to the character OF
these persons, began to investigate the
history of the lost steamer. He gave
notice to the insurance companies OF his
belief in the fact that great crime
had been committed and with the pa
tience and uniting diligence of
trained detective, he began his
work. As he progressed in max.
ing proof after proof that satisfied
his own mind as to the nature asd mag.
nitude of the fraud, he became almost
monomaniacal on the subject. He aban.
doned his business at home and his fam
lily, spent his own money eagerly and
lavishly in the pursuit of his ends, and
at last his efforts were crowned with
success. The insurance companies
all refused to pay, and suits were
instituted to compel them to do so
Finally all the conspirators were ar
rested and taken to Columbus for {
hearing before the United States Com
missioner. United States District At
torhey Morton, of Toledo, was assisted
by Hon. Henry Stansberry in the prose
cution and defendants counsel covered
large number of the mot eminen n
lawy srs in Ohio, among them Noah Il
Swayne and Thomas Ewing. The de
fendents went to Columbus, accompan
led by their wives and relatives. They
were fine body of people, male and fe
male, some twenty or thirty in number
they had plenty of money, considerabl
interest among men of all classes. Bur
ton gave his testimony, and the who'll
proof was carefully gone over. The resul
was the binding over of the prisoners
the United States Court, and soon afte
bills of indictment for conspiracy an
murder were found against them. Fror
the day the defendants were bound over
upon the testimony discovered by Bur
ton, the later never for moment aban
doned his pursuit of the case. He spen
his money with absolute freedom, trav
cling miles by rail, steamer or horse
back and on foot, looking NJ
testimony necessary to convict, In
writer of this was present al the trial o
the men before Justice Mclean. Th'
trial lasted for weeks. Many friends Q
the defendants swarmsd about Colum
bus In and out Of the court. Tas sessi .s,
mony was overwhelming - to TN
priscnsrs' guilt Tho proof OF tn.
shsr.otsr sf the cargo. Of its wortl
.na ef the fraudulent insurano.
-. ..ply furishsd and few doubted
shs csne would meet with punishment
stsr the examination Of Burton tn